There Is No Normal
by JokerAlchemist24
Summary: Set after the movie. Everyone thinks the Brothers are gone, but signs are coming up all over the place saying they are still on their side of the gate. It all starts with a phone call to Winry. Shorter summary inside! I really like this new chapter 8 !
1. The Past

A/N- Thanks to my Beta Reader this chapter was re-done. Hope you enjoy!

Summary: Set after the movie. Edward and Alphonse are missing, there are signs all over the place saying they are still on their side of the gate. Winry is full of anguish, Roy won't give up trying to find them, and even Riza feels as if she is somewhat responsible.

Disclaimer: This fanfiction is not for profit and has no connection with Hiromu Arakawa, Funimation, or any other licensees or affiliates of Fullmetal Alchemist.

Waiting is always the hardest part… waiting when time seems to slow to a crawl… when each minute seems like days…

Roy had been off on some big mission, gone for days. He had been off on a lot of those with his new promotion. Always gone, always working, always looking for any  
sign of the Elric brothers.

After those two saved the world and all the evil homunculi were killed off, there were a lot of promotions to be had; even the absent Elric brothers were included. Edward got an award of Alchemic Achievement, and Al was announced as a certified State Alchemist. Most considered that a bit odd, since most doubted that he would ever return to know it. Roy didn't agree though, since he believed in those boys then as much as ever, and he would never give up until he learned what really happened.

Riza felt somewhat responsible for their fate, whatever it was. She knew they were just kids, that saving the world should have been too much to ask of them, but she didn't stop them. Maybe she was too worried about Roy, or herself. Looking back, later she would wonder if she was just too much of a coward. Now the Elrics were dead, and she was sitting in an empty house; alone, waiting, and thinking about how she had been living a lie.

The world isn't perfect. It's not fair, right, or balanced. Riza had always believed that the Military could make a difference, that they were all doing as much right as possible, when in truth the people she thought she could trust were the liars, the ones destroying society. They were pulling families apart, destroying cities for their own selfish reasons, and she had been going right along with it.

Riza stood up and looked out the window to see a figure coming up the road. She reached for her handgun, but relaxed when she opened the door to see Winry Rockbell coming up the front steps.

"Hello," Winry said with a small smile.

"Winry," Riza responded with a nod. This is the woman that had feelings for Edward Elric, feelings Edward had returned. Neither would admit it, but as a grown woman in love as well, Riza knew the signs of love well. She had been like a mother to those boys, and knew how they worked. She had also been around Winry enough to realize that she has always been the one that cared about Edward the most.  
"I was hoping to speak to Roy," Winry said. Even without her saying anything, even with the effort she was putting forth to cover up her emotions, Riza could see that she was lonely and depressed. She came by here always wanting to talk to Roy. Those two would sit for hours talking or telling stories about the Elric brothers, and Riza would hear things she never thought were even possible. She thought she knew almost everything about the boys, but eavesdropping on Winry and Roy's conversations, she learned that the boys had been through a lot more than they used to show. They managed to push forward to get what they really wanted, while still caring for those they loved. Riza gave herself a mental shake, realizing that Winry was waiting for a response.

"I'm sorry, he's still out on a mission, has been gone for days. Is there anything I can help you with?" Since she felt somewhat responsible for what happened to the Elrics, the responsibility for the effect their absence was having on Winry came with that. She looked so lost, like something inside her was missing, something like her heart.

"It's urgent," Winry insisted. "Is there anyway to get in touch with him?" The younger girl had a gleam in her eyes, a spark that Riza had not seen in the year and a half she had been visiting. Winry came every other Saturday, rode all the way out on the train. Roy paid for her to ride first class, like a daughter that moved out but always came home to visit.

"What is wrong, Winry?" Riza asked, automatically thinking something was wrong with the girl.

"I got a phone call the other night. Someone looking for Edward," she said. Riza was about to just say that maybe the caller had not heard what happened to him, even though she knew almost everyone had, but Winry kept talking. "I thought it was just a coincidence, but when I said that he was missing, the man said that he just spoke to him a few months ago. That Edward told him to call my number if he ever needed him again. I guess Ed and Al helped this man out and he needs them once more." She paused to take a breath. "What do you think it means?" She asked, looking up at Riza. There were tears in her eyes, along with that renewed ferocity that had been missing for so long. These tears were not tears of sadness, but of hope.


	2. The Call

Winry sat out on the porch in front of the shop, looking out at Risembool. People worked in the fields, chatted, and went on with everyday life as if nothing had ever happened; as if the world were not almost taken over by homunculi. Like Ed and Al didn't disappear, leaving those of us who cared about them to feel responsible, to wonder what we could have done differently.

She thinks about those two a lot these days, like when they made her a doll using alchemy and it scared her. Now that they are gone, she thinks often of how it all started. . .

A small blonde girl ran out to the porch, staring in wonder at the bright blue light coming from her friends' house down the street. She was only 10 at the time.

Her grandmother told her to get back inside, but she continued to pace back in forth, wondering what was happening to her friends. She felt it was something horrible, and her fears were confirmed when the door flew open only a few minutes later. In the doorway was a huge suit of armor holding a boy in his arms, a boy covered in blood.

"Grandma," the girl said, her voice no more than a whisper as she realized that the boy in the armor's grip was her friend Edward.

"Winry, you've got to help us!" the armor begged.

"Al?" Was that Al in the armor?

"Winry, get the bed ready! We have to stop the bleeding," Granny Pinako ordered. The girl could not seem to stop staring in horror at her friend bleeding out in front of her. "Winry, now!" The sharp order finally snapped he rout of it.

Pinako was gathering painkillers and gauze as Winry stripped the bed down. After the bleeding was stopped they put him under a quilt to make him as comfortable as possible, and had to constantly change wet rags on his forehead to keep the fever down. Al watched from a distance, his worry and fear evident even without seeing his face.

The next person to come to the door a few days later was a man in a blue military uniform under his long black coat. He was regarded with scorn in that household, as Winry parents had been killed on the battlefield while serving as doctors.

"Able to perform human transmutation and live to tell the tale," Colonel Mustang said as he regarded the sleeping Edward.

"What do you want at this house?" Granny Pinako sneered. "We've had enough lives destroyed by the military without you dragging these boys into it."

I'm just here about the letter I received," he replied with a sly smirk.

"You got our letter!" Alphonse perked up for the first time in days. "So you know where my dad is?"

"I wish I did, kid, but if you two can perform a human transmutation and live, Hohenheim just dropped a level on my priority list." Pinako stepped firmly in front of him.

"Well if you can't help, leave," she ordered, shooing him out.

"Think about it," he said as he left. "And come see me in Central. Lieutenant Colonel Roy Mustang."

Soon after, Winry found out that Roy was the one who killed he parents in the Ishbalan war. She never would have expected that she would come to respect him, and even see him as a father figure, but she had. She was so caught up in the past, staring off into the distance of Risembool, that she jumped when the phone rang.

"Hello?" she said once she ran inside to the phone.

"Hello, is Edward Elric there?" Winry froze, speechless, and the phone fell from her grip and clattered to the floor. The sound broke her out of her trance and she hurried to pick it up.

"I'm sorry -- what?"

"Edward Elric, is he there?" the voice on the phone repeated.

"Edward went missing almost a year and a half ago," Winry said slowly, wondering if this was somebody's idea of a prank.

"That can't be!" The man said in shock. "I saw him in Central not two months ago, he helped me save my daughter! I just needed his help with a small task, and he told me to call this number if I ever needed him again." Edward? In Central? And why would he give out my number, but not try to contact me? The questions whirled through her head faster than she could keep up.

"Well, I don't know what to say," she said through the haze of confusion. She could hardly believe that this was happening.

"Well, if you see him again, can you tell him Michael Thomas called?"

"Y-yes. I can do that," Winry stammered.

"Thank you, ma'am," he said, and hung up before Winry could thank him as well.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Roy had just returned to Central and was almost done with his latest stack of paperwork when the phone rang.

"Make it quick" he snapped after snatching up the receiver.

"Is that any way to say 'hi' to an old friend?" the voice on the other end asked. Roy's pen stopped mid-signature. Why was that voice so familiar? "Now listen very carefully," the voice continued.

And that is when Roy knew exactly who he was talking to.


	3. The Truth

**Review Thank: ****Orange Singer, Ranger Rising Alchemist Chill, IceAlchemist17**

Why. . . How? Roy did not want anyone to know about the phone conversation, but so much was being asked of him, and a man could only take so much. . .

As soon as Roy returned home, Winry was bursting at the seams with her news, but Riza had other ideas. Winry was currently resting in the spare bedroom while Roy did some resting of his own, at Riza's insistence.

Roy was constantly looking for Ed and Al while also doing the missions assigned to him by the military. He never gave up or backed down when he believed in something, reminding Winry in that respect of the Elrics. He never took time for himself unless Riza, in her own gentle way, forced it on him.

The next morning at breakfast, Winry was barely containing herself, but was trying her best to wait until Roy or Riza brought it up. It was hard to wait; she wanted to share what she knew, to see if Roy had found out anything of his own.

"Winry, you had something to tell me?" Roy said, after what seemed like an eternity to the impatient girl.

"Yes," Winry replied, not wanting to push the issue. Roy seemed to be enjoying his quiet breakfast.

"We can talk in my office after breakfast," he said with a small smile, so calm. Winry had often marveled at his constant sense of calm, even when she knew he must be curious.

After they finished breakfast and helped clear the table, Riza started on the dishes as Roy and Winry headed for his office. Winry tried to ignore the brief, worried look the woman had as she watched his thinning frame leave the room, but she felt a pang of guilt for putting more on Roy's plate. He was a workaholic, and needed much more rest than he allowed himself. Winry briefly considered not telling him what she knew, but quickly decided against it. She had to know, had to do all she could to help bring the brothers home, and she knew she could not do it alone.

Roy settled in the comfortable chair behind the desk, and Winry sat nervously across from him.

"So what do you need to talk about?" Roy asked, never one to beat around the bush.

"Edward," Winry started in a rush, "I got a call, from someone who said that Ed had helped him in Central less than two months ago. He said that Ed told him that if he ever needed him again, to call my number." Winry paused, taking a breath before continuing. "It's got to be him!" she insisted. "To give someone my number, it must be. . ."

"It was not him," Roy said casually with a small shrug. Winry had never seen him treat anything to do with the Elrics, much less a lead this big, so lightly.

"What?" Winry asked, still in shock at his unexpected reply. "What do you mean? How could you possibly know that for sure?" Roy sighed and looked down at his gloved hands before replying.

"Edward is gone. He's not coming back. I have wasted too much of my life and precious time looking for someone who obviously either cannot be, or does not want to be, found. I'm not going to look any more. We just need to accept that they are gone." Winry gaped at him a full minute before replying.

"What the hell are you talking about? Accept that they're gone? Are you insane?"

"Winry, this isn't a decision I made lightly, but I have exhausted every avenue I know of to try to locate them. This call you received is pure coincidence, nothing more. Maybe someone playing a joke."

"A joke? YOU'RE the joke. You, who claimed to care for them, who claimed to care for me! You're only loyal when its useful to you!" she accused, hurt shining in her eyes. She was so upset she didn't notice the older man's slight flinch at her hurtful words.

Winry had to take some deep breaths to calm herself just a little bit, if it was possible. She looked back up at him and glared. "So you're done? That's it, you're just giving up on them? Think about this, though, when you're enjoying all your 'precious time', again," she spat. "Edward would have kept looking for you till the day he died if you ever went missing. But I'm sure you already knew that."

Winry got up from where she was sitting across from Roy and truned to walk to the door, she opened in it and then looked back. "Well I'm more loyal than that, and I won't give up. I can't-- I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I wonder if you'll be able to?"

She turned on her heel and walked out of the room when he didn't reply.


	4. The Heavenly Virtue

**I rudely forgot my thanks, so this is what I'm going to do to catch up. **

**Chapter Two: Orange Singer, Ranger Rising Alchemist Chill, IceAlchemist17**

**Chapter Three: IceAlchemist17, linkin-link**

Winry was running. She didn't stop, she didn't want to, she couldn't.

She was now in the forest, just south of Central. She was so mad at Roy, how could he. How could he do this to her, she just wanted everything back to normal. It seemed like he was always stopping before he was finished, always ruining things, running away with it got ruff, never giving it his all. She wouldn't give up on them, Edward and Alphonse were dear to her. She was in love, totally and utterly in love.

Edward and her have been through a lot. They both lost their parents and thought that there was no way that they could go on. When no one else was there for them, they had each other. She always cared for Edward and always will. She knew for a fact that he cared for her also. It was the way that he looked at her, and protected her, she knew that they would one day be together again. They would live together, get married, have children, then grow old together, they will be together.

Then there was Alphonse. How could she forget about him. Alphonse was like a little brother to her. He was very dear to her and she would protect him with her life. Even knowing that in the past it was usually him protecting her. This was her paying them back for everything that they have done. She couldn't just give up and stop. She had to keep going. She would go to the end of the earth to find those boys.

She stopped running, and looked around. She was definitely lost. She never went into the forest really, and if she did she never went in real far. It was cold and dark. She was also alone, bad things usually happen with people that are alone... and in a forest.

A rustling came from behind her, she whipped around just to see a fern. She turned back around and looked down. There was a path, not a real good path but you could definitely tell that there was one there.

She could think of what Roy and Riza were thinking right about now. They were probably fighting, she knew that Roy was keeping something from her. Whether it is to protect her or just him not wanting her to know the truth,she thought she could go to him for the answers and for help, but he only lied to her. She didn't like that at all. She knew that Riza was probably out looking for her, along with Black Hayate. Roy was probably getting a whole search party together to look for her.

She just flew off the handle, She just want Edward and Alphonse back.

_"Give up on Edward? If you went missing Edward would never give up on you._ _No matter how cold hearted you were, no matter how much you sucked up to the higher ups, just if it meant you get a promotion. They aren't gone, I know it. They are here, both of them, and they're alive. The truth is, is that your wrong, and I don't have to deal with it because I know in my heart that Edward Elric will come back to us and everything will be alright."_

She felt so bad for saying something like that to him. He's been threw so much, how could she make it so much harder for the poor man. She was only thinking about herself, all about what she wanted, she never stopped to think about anyone but herself. She's been so blinded by the fantasy of finding Edward that she forgot about the reality of other peoples feelings. Roy has been the one she went to, always the one she would talk to, he was the one that always came to her rescue after the brothers disappeared.

There was a rustle in the tree to her left. She turned, almost giving herself whiplash.

"It's just an animal," she thought to herself. "The forest is full of animals." It was true, there were animals in the forest. Just not ones that she was thinking about.

"You shouldn't be out in the woods at this time of night little girl," she turn around, to be face to face with a beautiful yet scary figure... person.

"Wh- who are you?" The question came out in a stutter. Who was this person. She couldn't really call it a person though, it was a female though. She reminded Winry of Wrath. This one had black hair, but in the moon light had a very nice shade of blue it seemed. She had big round green eyes, she was tall and was wearing a dress shirt, a mini skirt, and high heal boots that went nearly to her knees. Winry couldn't lie, she was absolutely beautiful.

"I my dear am Patience," Winry thought for a second. She came to the conclusion that that was a heavenly virtue. The Humunulus' names were after the deadly sins. Where these creatures all connected. "I used to be the perfect one, but it's so fun to be bad. Don't you think?" Winry didn't understand what the creature was trying to tell her. Maybe that it was going bad... but that couldn't be. It was a heavenly virtue. "I kill every night now. I go looking for little girls wondering the forest," Patience smiled, and Winry stepped back, falling over a bolder in the middle of the path.

"Don't touch me," Winry felt a strange stregth. Winry knew that she had to stay alive, she had to find and save Ed and Al. She couldn't die know, could she?

"Oh, feisty I see, don't worry, I like you like that," Patience was getting closer with ever word, Winry was now shacking. She had so much to do before she died. She had to find Ed and Al, she had to tell Edward that she loved him, she had to apologize to the Colonel, and, and, and... she just had to live.

Patience clapped her hands and vines came up from the earth beneath Winry and caught her in a tight hold. Winry knew she wasn't going to be getting out of this alone, she knew she might even be killed if no one came for her. She knew that no one would come in time to save her small pathetic excuse for a life. No on would come this deep into the forest to look for her.

She knew she couldn't give up, so she started to scream, Patience smiled an evil smile, and vines went over her mouth to muffle the sound of her screaming. She tried thrashing but the vines were to tight, she was just wiggling in place, it reminded her of a dieing inch worm that Alphonse always tried to save by putting them in a cup of water, not knowing that this was the reason it died so fast.

She knew she was done for. Patience was now right over her, but in a blink of an eye was took down. Winry saw the last person she ever expected to see, the last person she thought would ever find her.

* * *


	5. UPDATE, NEW PEN NAME

**For any of my readers/fans. I have changed my PenName. **

**It was from like seventh grade and I'm now a tenth grader, it just didn't fit anymore. **

**This-Is-Such-A-Drag is now JokerAlchemist24**

**Why you might ask, well my favorite movie is Batman:The Dark Knight, and I am totally and utterly in love with Fullmetal Alchemist!**

**Thanks for everything. **

**Yours truly, ****Sarah**


	6. The Cloaked Figure

**Review thanks: animedragon59, tWiLiGhT fAn Of DoOm, Ezra Mae.**

**This is going to be a shorter chapter. **

Winry looked up at the person that saved her. Riza was in the stance that told everyone not to mess with her. She was holding her gun out, pointing it at the creature.

"Riza?" Winry was confused she was sure that she saw Edward. It must have been the blond hair. Winry frowned and tears formed in her eyes.

"Winry are you okay? It didn't hurt you did it?" Riza didn't take her eyes off of the creature that just a few minutes before was trying to kill Winry.

"No, it didn't hurt me," Winry replied. She had no emotion in her voice.

"Don't worry Roy should be here anytime now," Winry probably looked absolutely terrified but inside she was hurt, disappointed. She was almost positive that she saw Edward. He looked right at her. She wasn't crazy.

While Winry was thinking of that, Patience was up and attacking Riza now. She dodged every attack, she shot at Patience while in mid air, the bullet went into it's right shoulder. Patience's vines came up from the ground, Riza dodged the first four but was caught by the fifth one. Riza lost her balance and dropped her gun, falling to the ground. Vines came from no where and went around Riza. The vines tightened and seconds later she passed out.

"Riza!" The yell came from Roy, who was now running towards the scene. Roy snapped his figures, the vines that were around Riza caught fire, and in no time at all the whole forest was ablaze. Winry covered her mouth for the smoke was thick and she couldn't breath. Roy got Riza and then grabbed Winry and started to run.

Roy was holding Riza in his arms while Winry ran beside him. When they finally broke threw the forest Patience was waiting for them in the clearing. Roy set Riza down on the soft grass and motioned for Winry to watch over her, Winry nodded.

Winry sat down by Riza and watched Roy approach Patience with his right hand in the snapping position.

"You made a bad decision when you decided to attack the people most dear to me, you nasty piece of shit," for being angry, Roy was still exceptionally calm.

Roy started to run towards Patience. Winry got up quickly and started to run after.

"NO!" Winry yelled right before Roy snapped his figure. He stopped dead in his tracks at Winry's plead. Patience then kicked him down hard. Winry ran to his aid, kneeling down beside him, and looked up at Patience's smiling face.

"Stop, please," she pleaded to the creature in front of her.

"You stupid little girl," it's smile became sinister, and Patience took another step closer. Behind Patience a cloaked figure started to approach.

"Patience, stop it now," the cloaked man said.

"Master, my deepest apologies," Patience stepped back a few feet and bowed to it's 'master'.

"This is not your purpose, you were made to help, not kill. Go now," the cloaked man ordered, and Patience ran into the forest where the fire has died down. Winry looked after the creature then turn back to the man, but he also has disappeared.

Winry looked down at Roy who also just witnessed what happened.

"What the hell were you pulling Winry, you almost got us all killed," Roy didn't even wait for her answer and got up. He walked over to Riza who gained consciousness again and helped her up. He put an arm around her waist and helped her walk. Winry fallowed not far behind as they walked back the few miles back the their house. The entire walk was completely and utterly silent.

"Winry?" Riza was the one to break the silence. Winry looked up at her.

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you let Roy kill it?" She asked. Roy perked up, he had the same question itching at the back of his mind as well.

"It's a heavenly virtue," Winry said simply, as she collapsed. The last thing she saw before she fell into unconsciousness was Roy and Riza stretching their arms out to catch her.


	7. The Conversation

**Review Thanks: linkin-link**

Winry woke up on a coach. For what she could tell she was in Roy and Riza's house. Everything came back to her in an instant, she clutched her head in pain and began to whimper. Roy ran in at the noise of Winry in pain and kneeled down next to the coach.

"What's wrong Winry? You have to tell me so I can help," Roy was frightened, he hated seeing Winry in so much pain, she was like a daughter to him now. He hated seeing any ones face in that much excruciating pain, it reminded him of the Isbalen War, and that was all too much for him to take in.

Before Winry could speak up she past out again. Roy readjusted her pillow and pulled her blanket right beneath her chin. He moved a few strands of hair that were in her face. He told Riza to get him a damp washcloth, and then wiped the sweat that was outlining her face off. He looked at her once more before leaving to room to go talk to Riza about all that was happening, and at that moment thought of Edward and how Edward would kick his ass if he didn't take care of Winry. He gave a faint smile to the thought of Ed even trying and then left the room.

Roy and Riza were talking at the kitchen table, they were trying to put all that had happened in the last few days all together. It was all turning out to be a real mess. Roy knew that the homunculus were gone, but a new threat might be approaching, and fast. What ever these new creatures were he couldn't be sure if they were all bad or if it was just this one. The creature did say it was a heavenly virtue, and how can one of those be bad. There had to be an explanation to all of this.

They were still talking when Winry came into the room, she was in one of Roy's t-shirts that Riza had put her in last night and a pair of sweat pants that seemed to drag on the floor. Riza stood up and poured another mug of hot tea and placed it at the spot in between where her and Roy were sitting. Winry sat down and put her hands around the mug, but she didn't take a drink.

"Sorry if I worried you two, I don't know what happened to me," she apologized. She didn't know why she kept fainting, maybe it was he near death experience, but maybe it was some other reason. She didn't know for sure, but she was too wore out to try to figure it out.

"It's okay as long as you're okay, are you okay?" Roy asked her. Riza also had a worried expression on her face. Winry nodded her head and gave a small smile of reassurance to both of them.

"I have a question to ask you Winry, but I don't want to overwhelm you," Roy told her. It sounded like a statement but all at the table knew it was more of a question. He was asking permission, he really was worried about her and didn't want to make her condition any worse.

"No. I'm okay, go ahead and ask me," she seemed fine, but she didn't look fine.

"Well last night right before you fainted you said something about the creature that attacked us being a... well... you called it a 'Heavenly Virtue.' What is that anyways, and how do you know?" Roy wanted to get to the bottom of all this.

"Well Patience said that she was a Heavenly Virtue, but she also said that she was going bad. That would make it a Deadly Sin wouldn't it? I mean I don't know what she is, or what 'it' is, but if it really is a Heavenly Virtue we can't hurt it. That would go against everything, wouldn't it? You can't go around killing something that is heavenly, that would make you a sinner or something..." Winry didn't know if she was making sense or not, but until she was sure that it was actually bad she didn't want to let people go around trying to hunt it. She had to do what her heart told her to do, what it told her was right.

"Patience, that beast has a name now. And Heavenly sin?" Riza was trying to put this all together as well, but she needed more information to help her with the large task.

"This is giving me a head ace," Roy sighed.

"It's not a beast. It's trained and listened to that cloaked figure didn't it. That it self tells you that it's obedient. A heavenly Virtue is the opposite of a Deadly sin. If you remember the Homunculus, they were all named after Deadly Sins. Lust, Greed, Pride, Wrath, Envy, Gluttony, and Sloth. I'm not trying to say that these are a form of Homunculus but I have a feeling they are connected in some way, they just have to be," Winry looked down at her untouched cup of tea, then looked back up at Roy and looked him in the eyes. "Patience is a Heavenly Virtue."

"Well I don't care if "Patience" is a Heavenly Virtue or not, if it's a Homunculus I'll have to kill it. Creatures like that don't belong on this earth. A creature without a soul shouldn't have that much power. And it attacked us, how do we know it hasn't killed others. If it is truly going bad it needs to be disposed of." Roy didn't like disappointing Winry anymore than he had to, but he had to protect the ones he loved and the ones that couldn't fight for themselves.

"Until I know that it is truely bad I will fight to keep it safe. And that means that if it is indeed a Heavenly Virtue then there has to be more, right?" Winry asked.

"Well it is bad, it tried to kill you. Lets hope there's not more." Roy got up and paced the kitchen. When he stopped, he got a thought, he looked at the girls, "I have to go to work to check on a few things, don't wait up for me." He grabbed his coat and walked out of the house. Winry and Riza just looked at each other in confusion.


	8. The Happening

**Chapter 7 review thanks: Marley-Chan ~ Only reviewer but I still love the fact that you did review so thanks!**

Roy had found out about all the happenings in Laboratory Five, but he was thinking that there might even be more.

He ran to the office leaving Riza and Winry at home to wonder what the hell he was up to. He was going through the Laboratory Five files that he's already been through dozens of times when his phone rang. He was the only one in the office and it was quiet, almost too quiet.

"Hello," he said lazily, already distracted by what he was reading like it was his first time reading it instead of it being the hundredth time.

"Be careful, we wouldn't want you to be snooping around too much, things might start happening," a voice he didn't recognize was on the other line.

"Excuse me?" Roy had to take a double take, putting down the papers that had his attention, but was now not interested in the least.

"You know, you knowing too much puts us in danger of being exposed. We wouldn't want that would we?" Roy was about to protest when he heard the dial tone in he ear. He set down the receiver and stared blankly at it. His eyes veered to what he was reading before the phone rang and one line seemed to pop out entirety.

**_New structure to be built, foundation to be started on October 21 is to be used as a laboratory to experiment new types of alchemy and ways to use alchemy. _**

He kept reading only to come to a line of objection.

**_Seeing as the project was under the watchful eye of Fuhrer King Bradley, and as seeing as he was killed on October 13 the project of the new structure shall not be permitted to be undergone. The counsel of Central Headquarters strongly objects to the building of this laboratory. _**

As he kept reading he got to a line that made him look up at the shelves of books he had, he got up from his seat and scanned the titles to pull out one of the documentaries of the prisoners of Laboratory Five. He scanned back and the line and read it again.

_**From the counsel of Liore and the new commanding officer of the new headquarters stationed in Liore, I Alex Lavert allows for the building of the laboratory to be re-opened. **_

He read the line over and over until he memorized it. He opened the document he pulled off the shelf and opened it to the strongly convicted into the prison and the ones that were 'taken care of'. Roy knew that he, like many others that were 'taken care of' was probably taken to the laboratory right next door. He opened it to the page that was titled _Alex Lavert _and stared at the page. It said that he was a mass murderer and that he was executed on October 30. It also had a picture of him that was paper clipped to the top of the page. It had all the conviction information and the times and dates of everything that went on with him. At the bottom of the page it gave another title of a document and the page numbers of all the people he killed.

He got up and scanned his book self knowing he had the book, for he had read almost everything on Laboratory Five. When he came across the spot it should have been, it was empty. He stared thoughtfully at where the book should have been and then knew that everything was happening all over again. Conspiracies happening in the military seemed to be quite popular. He wasn't going to let all the hard work the Elric Brother's did go to waste. He grabbed his coat and ran out of his office, he was going back to the clearing, he thought there had to be some clues as to what's going on there.

* * *

"Winry, you talked to him didn't you. Do you know what he went and did?" Riza was questioning Winry. Sure she talked to him about the phone call but it's not like Roy went and did anything. Riza called Headquarters just to find out that he was there, like he said, but he left in a rush. Or so the secretary said. She was now wondering what the hell he was up to and hoping to god, if there was one, for him to be okay.

"Yeah, but he said that he gave up on Edward and Alphonse. That's why I ran away in the first place," Winry looked down at the table where they were sitting, looking at the green mug that was set in front of her with the tea Riza had made earlier. She too was still trying to put all the happenings of the last few days together. With no luck she sighed and let her head fall to the table with a light thud.

"Winry, you and I both now that that's very unlikely. He believes in those boys more than anyone else. He was probably just trying to protect you," Riza said while rubbing her back.

Winry stood up abruptly, picked up her mug of untouched tea and put it in the sick.

"I better be going, Grandma Pinako is probably worried." She gave Riza a hug. She got her stuff together while Riza called for a cab. They were waiting out on the porch for the cab, when it came into sight, Winry gave Riza another hug, and started down the stairs.

"Tell Roy 'Thanks' for me and that I love him and that I'll see him next week if I can make it up," She smiled and turned to walk away.

"Winry, take care of yourself, call when you get home," Riza told her. She nodded in understanding.

Riza watched as she got in the car and drove away, not looking away until she was out of sight down the long gravel road.

* * *

Roy was walking around in the clearing, he was facing what was left of the forest he burnt down just the night before. He was thinking that if he wouldn't have been so reckless that maybe he would have saved some clues as to what the hell was going on, but of course he acted out of instinct, trying to protect the ones he loved.

"Mustang, I thought I has someone call you about that snooping you do," Roy turned abruptly to the sound of the voice and saw a person in a black long cloak. He was already in a fighting stance, "I don't want to fight, but I don't want you looking around. What do you think I should do?" The figure asked.

"Why don't you tell me who you are and what you're up to," Roy answered with a sly smile spread across his face.

"Well we don't want anyone else involved in our little social experiment so it looks like you're just out of luck. That leaves you to just, uh, I don't know. Give up," Roy smiled.

"I'm not good at that so you're going to have to bare with me a little. I just want some answers, if you help me out then maybe I'll be able to help you out," Roy answered back.

"I'm not looking for anymore help, so that doesn't sound too great of a deal for me. You just have to stop getting yourself into things that have nothing to do with you," Roy could tell that the figure was getting angry or just aggravated. Roy was a persistent son of a bitch though, he didn't blame the person for getting annoyed. "I know who you are and everything about you, I can make your life so miserable that even you will want to kill yourself. You have nothing on me, you don't know anything about me or what I'm doing so you just might want to watch your back." and with that, it was gone.

Roy stood there looking blankly at where the person was standing, then turned back to what he was looking at before it came. All he saw was what was left of the forest. He walked a little closer to where he was right at the edge of it and knelt down. He pressed his finger to the ash and dirt floor and spread it across it. He noticed that it wasn't like a regular ground, mushy and able to move easily, but hard, like a solid wood floor. He moved his whole hand across what he thought was a forest floor to find a metal door, he cleaned everything off of the door he just found to find that it was locked with what he thought was alchemy, some kind of alchemy he's never seem before. He studied it trying to memorize it and the covered it back up and headed back to his office.

The person was wrong. He was now totally and utterly involved. When someone or _something_ wanted or tried to hurt the people he loved and cared about then he was involved. He knew for a fact that the person didn't know everything about him and the figure also didn't know what he and his little _'friends'_were getting themselves into. Even he had secrets. He's got many strong Allies on his side, and many that will fight with him to put things right again. He knew that this person was a man, by his voice and stance. He knew that they knew alchemy, by the way he appear and disappeared, and from Patience who used it while in battle with him. He knew that he wasn't working alone, and that he was hiding something that he knew the government wouldn't like, or maybe it was the government hiding things from the rest of us. He knew a lot, all he had to do was put it all together.

A/N- I really liked this Chapter and I hope you do to. I worked really hard on it. Sorry about the spelling and grammar I am trying my hardest. Reviews, thank you for reading.


	9. On Hold

I'm putting this story on hold. I have major writers block for this story, and I don't want to just dive in and ruin it. I hope you guys can hang in there with me. I would very much appreciate it. I'm writing down ideas so I'm hoping myself that it wont be too much longer until I get a good idea.

Yours truly, Sarah.


	10. Disappearance

**Special Thanks: **

**Review Thanks: **stabbythings

**Story Alert Thanks: **stabbythings

It's been a week and Roy and Riza were both pacing. Riza, inside. Roy, outside. You might be asking yourself why they were both pacing, and the answer is very clear. Winry didn't show up as she always did on Saturday mornings. Riza ended up calling her house in Resenbool but to her disbalief no one answered. Roy already called HQ and asked for a team to go and check out her house. She had to be somewhere.

What confused Riza the most was that no one answered. She knew that Winry didn't live alone. She lived with her grandmother. But still, it rang and rang, no answer what so ever. It was like no one lived there at all in fact. Riza also called some neighboring houses around Wirny's and no one, at all, answered. And that wasn't the weird part, the weird part was that there were no records of anyone going in or out of the small home town of Resenbool.

Resembool was a town that needed to trade to live. Things needed to come out and things need to come in for the people of the town to be able to survive. But none of that was happening, none at all. It was strange and no one, even the military had any idea what was going on. Which was strange seeing as the military always new a little of everyone.

It was Roy's day off and he wasn't taking advantage of it at all. Not relaxing, not sleeping or reading. In fact, he was probably worrying ten times more than he would at work. The woman he looked at as his own daughter was in the middle of everything that's been going wrong. She herself was even missing, he wanted to get to the bottom of it, but at the time there was nothing he was able to do. All he had to do was sit... Pace, and wait. Wait until someone found some information out to help him with this investigation.

* * *

Winry was wearing jeans, a t-shirt covered up by a zip up hoodie, but no one could see this under her long black cloke. Her hood was up and her head was down. she didn't want anyone to be able to recognize her. Not that she knew anyone in Central, but she knew that there were probably Military personal looking for her at this very moment.

'Why?' you ask. Well it's simple, she ran away. It's not really running away when she was of age to live on her own, but it was easy to say that Roy had people looking for her. She didn't go to their small house on the hill like she did every Saturday. Instead she got on the train headed to Central.

She decided that she was going to search for clues, facts, anything that lead her to the brothers. It was easier for her to do so when she wasn't in the military, no one asked questions or gave her questioning looks. Some did with the black cloke covering her, but not as much as if she was wearing the blue uniform that anyone could spot.

She walked up in front of the military's first branch that was newly built and restored to it former glory. She looked up at the tall building and took a deep breath to ready herself for the huge lie she was about to conjure up from nowhere but deep in her heart. She knew that Roy was going to be disappointed in her, he never liked it when she put herself out in the line of danger, when she didn't let him take care of all her problems. But this was something she had to do; she couldn't just sit around and do nothing at all.

She started up the stair of the library and took out the pocket watch that was left behind from Edward. She was smart at the time and when she found all of Edward's belongings she kept what she thought would come in handy sometime in the future and gave everything she didn't think she would need to the officers in charge of the Brother's disappearances. Sure some would say that the military needed all they could to find them, but Winry new that they could go without his pocket watch and red cloak.

When she got up all the stairs she was sure that she lost ten pounds and probably a few gallons of fluids. She flashed Edward's pocket watch in the librarians face and then kept walking, all the while waiting for her to stop her and yell at her for her fraud, but to her surprise she didn't.

She stopped and looked at the lines and lines of books, not even knowing where to start. She just knew she had to find out what happened to the boys, she missed them with all her heart and she would go to the ends of the earth to find them.

A/N- Thank you for all of you the decided to wait until I got out of the little writers block I was in. I hope you all enjoyed this. Sorry about all the grammer and spelling mistakes!


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